Pakistani orphan school to utilize $100,000 Zayed Prize money to promote organic farming 

Ch Mohammed Akhtar (center), the Founding Chairman of Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) with students Sumaiya Bibi (left) and Kinza Bibi after winning the Zayed Sustainability Prize for the best Global School in South Asia at Expo City in Dubai, UAE on December 1, 2023. (Photo courtesy: @UNinPak/X)
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Updated 10 December 2023
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Pakistani orphan school to utilize $100,000 Zayed Prize money to promote organic farming 

  • The KORT Education Complex in Azad Kashmir won the prize at COP28 in Dubai for its organic farming, water conservation project 
  • With prize money, students and school management also plan to install sensor taps to create public awareness about water conservation 

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani orphan school, which won the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize of $100,000 at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, has planned to utilize the funds for the promotion of organic farming and water conservation in the South Asian country, the management and students said on Saturday. 

The KORT (Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust) Education Complex, one of the largest orphan schools in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, was declared the best ‘Global School’ in South Asia for its innovative project on organic farming and water conservation at the UN climate conference. It was competing for the prize against two other finalists from Bangladesh and India. 

Two young representatives of the school, Sumiya Bibi and Kinza Bibi, received the award from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at Dubai Expo City. The Zayed Sustainability Prize honors the legacy of UAE’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan by rewarding small and medium enterprises, non-profit organizations and high schools addressing health, food, energy, water and climate-related challenges. 

“We are thankful to the UAE government for recognizing our efforts to fight the climate change through education and awareness. We will be using the award money to promote organic farming and water conservation in our area in Kashmir,” Zaib-un-Nisa, the school principal, told Arab News over the phone. 

“The KORT will be working on promotion of biogas and biofertilizers to maintain the ecosystem and spread awareness at a large scale.” 

Pakistan ranks among one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, facing water scarcity as its annual water availability falls below 1,000 cubic meters per person. 

Sumiya and Kinza, both second-year students, lead the project at their school where they have been growing different vegetables including cabbage, onions, potatoes and some fruits by using compost and water conservation techniques. 

“We recycle the kitchen waste into compost for our organic farming at the school premises to fulfil the nutritional needs of students living in the hostel,” Sumiya said. 

The KORT Education Complex is spread over 7.5 hectares in the heart of Mirpur city and houses some 550 students who were orphaned in 2005 deadly earthquake in the area. It was set up in 2016 by a philanthropist to provide education, boarding and lodging facilities to orphaned children. 

Around 25 students are working on the “micro project” of organic farming and water conservation in the school which they aim to expand to other schools and colleges in the area through collaboration. 

“Pakistan is badly affected by adverse impacts of climate change including smog, water scarcity and food security, and this led us to an idea of setting up a small garden in our school to work on organic farming and water conservation,” Sumiya said. 

Kinza, who leads the water conservation part, said at least 36 percent of daily use water used to be wasted due to traditional running taps, but now they were conserving around 40 percent of it through sensor taps. 

“The installation of sensor taps is costly, but [it is] worth spending on them as they help save the water,” she said, adding they would be utilizing the prize money to install sensor taps in some public areas to create awareness about water conservation. 


Pakistan stocks rise 3 percent on weekly basis outshining other asset classes

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Pakistan stocks rise 3 percent on weekly basis outshining other asset classes

  • The market this week crossed the 140,000-point mark
  • The average daily traded volume was 653 million shares

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has seen an increase of 3.08 percent on a week-on-week basis, a Karachi-based market research firm said on Friday.

The market this week crossed the 140,000-point barrier and closed the weekend session at 145,382.79 points on Friday, according to the PSX website.

The average daily traded volume and value during the week stood at 653 million shares and Rs47 billion ($165 million), respectively.

“This gain can be largely be attributed to buying by mutual funds on inflow of funds as equities performance continue to outshine other asset classes,” Karachi-based Topline Securities said in its weekly review.

Pakistan trade deficit for July clocked in at $2.8 billion, up by 44 percent year on year, according to the report. The country recorded remittance inflows of $3.2 billion last month, down 6 percent month on month and up 7 percent year on year.

Foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank decreased by $72 million on a weekly basis to reach $14.2 billion as of August 1, the central bank reported on Thursday.


Pakistan, Qatar agree to broaden partnerships in environmental sustainability, green investments

Updated 09 August 2025
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Pakistan, Qatar agree to broaden partnerships in environmental sustainability, green investments

  • Pakistan and Qatar have longstanding economic, defense and cultural relations
  • In 2022, Qatar Investment Authority committed $3 billion for projects in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar have agreed to broaden their partnership in diverse areas, including environmental sustainability and green investments, Pakistan’s climate change minister said on Friday.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Dr. Musadik Malik and Qatar’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Ali Mubarak Ali Essa Al-Khater, in Islamabad.

Malik said the meeting covered Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Geneva next week, Pakistan’s upcoming Green Startups Initiative to empower youth and attract international investors.

“Both sides reaffirmed commitment to expanding cooperation in climate action, trade and people-to-people ties,” the minister said, emphasizing the need for fair, accessible, and people-centered global environmental agreements that address the socio-economic realities of developing countries.

Pakistan and Qatar have longstanding economic, defense and cultural relations. In 2022, the Qatar Investment Authority committed $3 billion for projects in Pakistan, spanning airport management, renewable energy and hospitality.

Pakistan, currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, ranks among countries most affected by climate change and has been planning several initiatives to boost green economy, aiming to reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities while ensuring sustainable development.

“The Ambassador of Qatar expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in climate action besides trade and investment,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.


Pakistan eyes new avenues for trade, connectivity as Azerbaijan, Armenia sign peace deal

Updated 43 min 10 sec ago
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Pakistan eyes new avenues for trade, connectivity as Azerbaijan, Armenia sign peace deal

  • US President Donald Trump announced Armenia, Azerbaijan had committed to lasting peace after decades of conflict as he hosted the two leaders
  • Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hopes that this spirit of dialogue will serve as an example for other regions facing protracted conflicts

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday welcomed a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, hoping that it would open new avenues for trade and regional connectivity.

US President Donald Trump announced that Armenia and Azerbaijan had committed to a lasting peace after decades of conflict as he hosted the leaders of the South Caucasus rivals at a White House signing event.

The development comes as Pakistan, slowly recovering from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, looks to capitalize on its geostrategic location to boost transit trade and foreign investment for a sustainable recovery.

“We congratulate President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan on this historic agreement, that reflects wisdom, foresight and sagacity in charting a course for a peaceful future for their region,” Sharif said on X.

“We also appreciate the facilitation role of the United States, under President Donald Trump, in bringing the two sides together and securing an agreement that opens new avenues for trade, connectivity, and regional integration.”

Christian-majority Armenia and Muslim-majority Azerbaijan have feuded for decades over their border and the status of ethnic enclaves within each other’s territories.

The nations went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in a lightning 2023 offensive, sparking the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians.

The two former Soviet republics “are committing to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel and diplomatic relations and respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Trump said at the event.

Sharif said Pakistan stood by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan at this proud moment of their history.

“This landmark development marks the dawn of a new era of peace, stability, and cooperation in the South Caucasus, a region that has endured decades of conflict and human suffering,” he said.

“It is our hope that this spirit of dialogue will serve as an example for other regions facing protracted conflicts.”

Pakistan and Azerbaijan maintain close ties. In July, Sharif met with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Khankendi on the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit, where the two leaders agreed to boost bilateral trade and investment.

This was Sharif’s third visit to Azerbaijan in 2025. He last traveled to Baku in May as part of a broader push at economic diplomacy with the Central Asian republics, to whom Pakistan has offered access to its southern ports in Karachi and Gwadar.

In July 2024, Azerbaijan announced a $2 billion investment in Pakistan during a visit by President Ilham Aliyev to Islamabad. In September last year, Pakistan signed a contract to supply JF-17 Block III fighter jets to Azerbaijan, marking the deepening of defense cooperation.


Nawaz sparks Pakistan to five-wicket ODI win over West Indies

Updated 09 August 2025
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Nawaz sparks Pakistan to five-wicket ODI win over West Indies

  • Hasan Nawaz made a triumphant one-day international debut, going 63 not out
  • Nawaz struck for six on the second ball of 49th over and blasted the winning shot

TAROUBA, Trinidad and Tobago: Hasan Nawaz made a triumphant one-day international debut, going 63 not out on Friday to power Pakistan over West Indies by five wickets in their ODI series opener.

Nawaz and Hussain Talat formed a sixth-wicket partnership of 104 not out to rally the visitors in the day-night affair, with game two on Sunday and the concluder on Tuesday.

West Indies went 280 all out with Evin Lewis leading the way on 60 from 62 balls with three sixes and five fours while Shai Hope added 55 and Roston Chase contributed 53.

Needing 281 to win, Pakistan got 53 runs from Mohammad Rizwan before he was bowled lbw by Shamar Joseph in the 38th over with the visitors still 101 runs shy of victory, setting the stage for heroics by Nawaz and Talat.

Nawaz struck for six on the second ball of the 49th over and blasted the winning shot to the boundary off the final delivery by Joseph, giving Pakistan the victory with seven balls to spare.

In all, Nawaz reached 63 on 54 balls with three sixes and five fours while Talat finished on 41 from 37 balls with one six and four fours.

Pakistan won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat first, a choice that paid quick dividends when Brandon King was taken for four on the fifth ball of the opening over, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi — his first of four wickets — and caught by Babar Azam off stump.

Lewis exited on the last ball of the 19th over, bowled by Saim Ayub and caught by Afridi.

West Indies captain Hope was bowled by Afridi and caught by Rizwan on the second ball of the 41st over, leaving the hosts on 200 for five.

Romario Shepherd, was sent off on four on the last ball of the 43rd over.

Chase made the third half-century for the West Indies with a boundary but went out on the next ball, caught by Azam and bowled by Naseem Shah, who also bowled out Gudakesh Motie and Jediah Blades on the last two Pakistan deliveries.


Pakistan launches national ‘Agri Stack’ to digitize farming sector

Updated 09 August 2025
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Pakistan launches national ‘Agri Stack’ to digitize farming sector

  • Agri Stack to give farmers digital IDs, integrate land data, streamline access to subsidies, credit, insurance and markets
  • Initiative aims to boost productivity, transparency and rural incomes in a sector contributing one-fifth of GDP 

KARACHI: Pakistan has begun work on a “National Agri Stack” to build digital infrastructure for its agriculture sector, aiming to boost farmer access to credit, subsidies and markets, the ministry of IT said on Friday.

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, employing more than a third of the workforce and contributing around a fifth of gross domestic product. The sector faces persistent challenges, however, including low productivity, fragmented landholdings, water scarcity and climate shocks, while farmers often lack formal identification and credit histories needed to access finance.

The Agri Stack initiative, led by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR), the Land Information and Management System (LIMS) and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), seeks to integrate land and farmer data, deliver targeted services and improve transparency in farm support.

In simple terms, the Agri Stack will create a “digital ID and online service hub” for every farmer in Pakistan. It will gather all key information — who the farmer is, what land they own or work on, what crops they grow — into one secure system. This means the government, banks and agri companies can deliver the right help directly to the right farmer, including subsidies, loans, crop insurance, weather updates and market prices.

The system is meant to cut out paperwork, reduce delays, stop resources from going to the wrong people and give farmers better tools to grow and sell their crops.

“The Agri Stack will enable verified farmer identities, land data integration, precision advisory, and efficient delivery of services like subsidies, crop insurance, and credit,” said Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja at a stakeholder consultation in Islamabad, according to a statement from the IT ministry.

“This is the architecture for an inclusive and tech-driven agricultural transformation under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Digital Nation Pakistan, in collaboration with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).”

LIMS Director General Maj Gen (R) M Ayub Ahsan Bhatti said the platform, also called PAKGROW, would “innovate the agricultural arena of Pakistan by transforming and improving the lives of small farmers and convening policymaking.”

The consultation endorsed forming a steering committee co-chaired by MoITT and MNFSR, a technical working group on data and cybersecurity, and pilot projects over the next 12–18 months. Priority areas include smart input subsidies, weather-indexed crop insurance, credit access through alternative data, and market linkages via LIMS.

Officials said the Agri Stack would combine satellite-driven crop intelligence, digital IDs, trusted payment systems and market platforms to create a “digitally empowered agricultural future.”

If implemented effectively, experts say a national Agri Stack could help Pakistan tackle some of its most entrenched agricultural challenges by giving farmers verified digital identities, streamlining subsidy and credit delivery, and providing timely, data-driven advice on crop management.

Integrating land records, satellite imagery, and market information into a single digital platform could reduce leakages in government support programs, expand financial inclusion for smallholders, improve resilience against climate shocks and connect rural producers more directly to buyers. This would ultimately boost productivity, transparency and rural incomes in a sector that underpins both the economy and national food security.